Is it just a dream?
by CeredwenFlame
Summary: Time passes, memories live on and things begin to change... but is it only a dream or is it something more? (FBG and sort of AU) Rated for implied sexual situation(s).
1. Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any character created by L.J. Smith. Nor am I making any profit off of this. I am merely toying with the characters for my own amusement and the possible amusement of other fans. So please don't sue me. You'd probably only get like a dollar from me anyway since I'm a poor college student. So. Anyway I hope you like my little fanfic. 


	2. Dreaming Again

It had been a long time since she had thought about him.it had been what. 5 years now? Or had it been longer? She wasn't even sure anymore. Her heart was heavy with regret and memories. If only she had chosen differently back then. If only they had let her make that sacrifice so long ago. Then she wouldn't be here. waiting. The waiting was killing her. She had been in several failed relationships since then. Mainly because she was always mentally comparing them to him, and truth be told in her mind no one could ever compare to him.  
  
He was the one that she let get away. He was the one that promised to return. But in 5 years he still hadn't come back. She tried to do as he had asked. She tried to be happy without him but it just wasn't going to happen. She had never felt so free or more alive than she had when she had been in his arms. He was her balance. She was light to his dark and he was the darkness to her ever-burning twilight.  
  
Yes, it was 5 years to the day now. That explained it. It was the anniversary of the day that he had left her here all alone. That was why she was lost in remembering. There was a part of her that longed to forget. Ached to be able to move on with her life and be happy without him. But that part was small, nearly non-existent, because she would never truly be happy without him in her life again. It wasn't something that she had consciously decided. It was something that had kind of snuck up on her over the years. She wanted to be happy. she wanted to move on. but how could she when her heart had already made its choice and refused to let him go.  
  
Five years ago she had chosen him. Five years ago he had left her, promising to return in five years. Well it was five years now and he was nowhere to be found. She had never asked him where he was going. Had never asked why he was leaving. Only that he keep in contact so she would know that he was still alive. He had done that, but barely. Though she would more than likely know even without someone telling her. Because ever since that day so long ago when they had first met, they had been connected.  
  
So what was delaying him from keeping his promise? She couldn't know, there was no way to tell. It had to be something serious though. He had always found a way through the most dire of circumstances in order to keep his promises to her. Why was this time to be different? Why wasn't he here now? True there was a point in time where she might have not wanted him to show up. But even then there was always a part of her that craved his contact. That wanted to see him, be near him, even to figure out his riddles and play his games.  
  
She shook her head and sighed. She had to let all of this go. There was no use holding out for her dark hero when it was obvious that he wasn't going to show. She put her journal away. Put her art books aside. and cleared the pillows from her bed. She pulled down the covers and turned off her bedside light. She would try to sleep. That would help. After all, it was just now the start of the 5th year; maybe he'd still show up. There was almost a full 24 hours for him to appear and still manage to keep his promise. So she wouldn't dwell on it for now, she'd let it come later when the disappointment could really set in.  
  
Her sleep was merely a blank canvas at first. as she drifted deeper and deeper into the dark realm of dreams. But slowly, something began to take shape, began to take form in the dark recesses of her mind. It started as a dim blue light blossoming in some corner of her dream. And there she saw him. She had often done this. had often dreamt of him. But this time it seemed somehow different. more real if that was possible.  
  
"Hello my dear." He said his voice like liquid velvet.  
  
"It's been five years." She said softly.as if the words pained her.  
  
"I know. I am truly sorry for that, but it could not be avoided."  
  
"Five years is a really long time."  
  
"And yet here you are still waiting for me, why is that?"  
  
"There is no one else. There will never be anyone else. not anymore." She said her voice filled with something. maybe sadness, maybe longing. or maybe she was just tired. She looked up into his eyes and fell all over again. Those eyes, so deep, so rich, and so intense. She would know those eyes for the rest of eternity. Those eyes were forever burned into her memory and soul. Impossible eyes - no boy or man should have eyes like those.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said looking away from her gaze.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Nothing. everything. For hurting you like this. It was never my intention despite what your friends may think."  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry for. And they are no longer a part of my life. Like you they all left me. They just couldn't handle the real me I guess. Sometimes I wonder if even I can. I just get by one day at a time. I have a few new friends. but nothing is the same. Nothing is as it should be. My world is dull and gray without you to put color into it." She sighs and turns her back to him so he cannot see her tears. But he doesn't need to see them, he can feel them, smell them, and it pains him all the more.  
  
"Please my dear one. Don't cry."  
  
"Will you be keeping your promise?" She asks like a lost little girl.  
  
"I will try to."  
  
"But it's already the day."  
  
"Maybe I am already with you my dear."  
  
"I would feel you. Wouldn't I? And if this dream is all you meant by you would come back to me in 5 years then I'm sorry but I'd rather have you here with me in the flesh."  
  
"Would you?" He asks sounding slightly amused.  
  
"Yes. Why does that come as a surprise to you?"  
  
"Maybe I had not realized fully what I was leaving behind."  
  
"Would you have stayed if you had?"  
  
"My dear, you know that I had no choice in the matter."  
  
"I know." She sighs again. She looks so small and so fragile right now. As if she might break if he were to even touch her. Oh how he wants to touch her. He has missed the sight of her, the smell of her, the touch of her, the taste of her. He has missed everything about her for these past five years. These lonely 5 years. He was most certainly going to try to keep his promise to her. He only hoped that time would not run out and leave her sad and disappointed. 


	3. When the Shadow Wakes

Sorry this chapter is so short, but my muse is being fickle and the next part of the story after this is going to have to be separated so - here we go a shorter chapter. Enjoy!  
  
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The dream faded slowly, and as he returned to his own mind, he began to worry. She was right; time was running out for them. It was the first day of the 5th year already. It was the day that he had promised to return on, and he was not as close as he had led her to believe. If only he had not been delayed for so long. If only he was there with her now. He would give anything to be with her now. It was then that he decided that somehow, someway before the stroke of midnight or earlier if possible. Before she could be disappointed again, he would make it home to her.  
  
Somehow, he managed to wake himself from the dream world. He had to if he was going to make it home to her before midnight. It wasn't going to be easy, and it was probably going to take every ounce of energy he had in him, but he was going to do it if it damn near killed him. Once he was fully awake, he bolted into action. He packed light; he wouldn't need much and gathered up everything that he would need in order to do this properly. He was going to need to hurry if he was going to make it on time, and the journey was not going to be an easy one. He prayed that she would forgive him if he came home a little worse for wear.  
  
Should he step into the shadows and travel to her that way? After all the shadows had been his home for so long - he knew them well. Should he risk stepping into the shadow world once more, even if it was to get back to the love of his life? It was a dangerous proposition all around. Damned if he did and damned if he didn't. If he didn't shadow step there was a very real chance that he wouldn't make it back to her in time. If he did shadow step, there was a very real chance that the other things that lurk in the shadows could attack him.  
  
He wasn't weak by any means, but he was not yet back to his old self yet either. Not that he would ever truly be a shadow man again. He was carved back in and he was still immortal, but he would not become what his ancestors became - horrid ugly deformed beasts. Because he had learned to love, had fallen in love and was loved in return. That curse of vile form was not his future anymore. She had saved him from that. She was his light, his sun. she was his saving grace, his one and only angel.  
  
He only hoped that he could make up for all of the evil he had done and make himself truly worthy of such an angel. He sighed to himself as he thought about what he should do. He needed to get back; he needed to do it before midnight. He needed to do a lot of things and had so little time. He was going to have to shadow step if he had any hope of getting home to her in time. Why had he gone so far from her? What had he been trying to prove?  
  
If only he had stayed closer to her home. If only things had not turned out the way that they had for the two of them. But now was not the time for regrets, for there was nothing to be done about the past. He had to worry too much about the present to allow himself time to dwell on the pains of the past. He steeled himself and prepared to enter into darkness once more. He only hoped that it would not consume him once more as it had so long ago. 


	4. Shadow Walking

He wrote the runes, he outlined them in his own blood... He spoke their names and gave them power... The wheel glowed and spun...it whirred like a Fourth of July firework. Finally it slowed and came to a stop... He opened the door once more, and he could see the strange colors and landscape of the world that was once his home. His heart filled with trepidation as he looked through that open portal. Was it going to be safe for him to cross this threshold? Would he be able to walk in the shadow world once more and get to his angel? Or would this spell more disaster for them? He couldn't doubt himself now, he had to do this or risk disappointing his angel.  
  
He steeled himself and took that first step. As he did so, heart heavy, he had to wonder if this is what all of the people the shadow men had ever played with when they were about to cross into the realm of their tormentors. He shook the question from his mind and continued to walk on, step by step. It was strange being back... It was strange to walk where he had often walked before. It no longer felt like home. It felt dangerous; it felt like the place was alive with thousands of eyes all trained on him. He could feel that the other shadow men already knew that he was there. He only hoped that they didn't come to attack him.  
  
As he walked, he waited with bated breath hoping, praying that he would get through this. He could feel himself drawing nearer and nearer to the old half way place, the More Games store as he walked. But it was still a long ways away and anything could happen between where he was and where he wanted to be. He constantly looked around himself, trying to be as alert and aware of his surroundings as possible... He was tense; he was on edge, every nerve ending felt as though it were on fire. He couldn't stand it. It wasn't like them to not make a move... Not make a threat, not say something, not taunt him in anyway, and it was starting to get to him. That had to be it; they weren't doing anything because that's what he was expecting.  
  
Somewhere in the distance, somewhere out of sight, out of sense, the elders were watching...  
  
" So he has been carved back in." One hissed.  
  
"Will he return to us? Or will he go back to that toy that got away, that stole our fun?" Another said, it's voice like grating sandpaper.  
  
"You know where his loyalties lie. He chose her. He took her place. We have no claim on either of them now." The hissing one said.  
  
"But we can get them back. We will get them back. There are ways. Let them have their fun for now. It will not last. They will pay... They will pay." The sandpaper one laughed evilly. The hissing one joined in on the laughter... Which somehow made its way to the ears of the one walking.  
  
"What are you up to ancient evil? What are you plotting?" He said as he listened to the wicked laughter. He steeled himself and continued to walk.  
  
In the real world, time was passing quickly... The day was slipping away and his angel was growing more and more worried as each minute ticked by, as each hour passed and was lost. Where was he? Where could he be? He wouldn't lie to her, would he? He was on his way, right? He would be here before the day was gone... he had to be, he just had to be. He would never break a promise to her, would he? She was getting more and more tense, more and more nervous the more time that passed. The sun was starting to sink in the sky and there was still no sign of her immortal beloved. WHERE WAS HE???!!! " JULIAN WHERE ARE YOU?" she cried.  
  
Julian felt the hours ticking by. He also heard Jenny's desperate plea. He broke out into an all out run. He had to get to the halfway place. He had to get to his angel. He couldn't let her down, not now. He needed to see her again. He wanted to be there for her. "I'm coming Jenny." He called out into the air. He had to hurry; he knew that the hour was growing late. He could feel Jenny's growing unrest, her growing despair and desperation. It pained him greatly to sense her distress. He ran as fast as he could toward his destination.  
  
"Their distress is quite delectable. Such strong emotions that we can feel them here. They will make very nice toys indeed." The hissing one chuckled.  
  
"Their pain and suffering will be quite the addition to our collection. How will we keep it so potent?" The sandpapery voiced one inquired.  
  
"We will think of a way... We have time yet to plot their demise. They will pay for their betrayals. They will suffer the consequences. We will take an eternity to enjoy them."  
  
"Yes, an eternity to taste them, to take them, to torture them." The sandpapery voiced one laughed maniacally.   
  
Finally, his halfway place was in sight. How late was it now in his angel's world? He feared that he might be too late. He feared that his time had escaped him. Even shadow stepping was taking a lot longer than he had intended. He had to make it he just had to. He ran as fast as he could, pushing even his own limits. He neared the More Games store, though it seemed to take him forever to do so. It felt like an eternity had been passing by him as he traveled the jagged landscape of his one time home.  
  
Finally he made it to the door. It was locked by a spell he had placed on it long ago to keep his ancestors from using his halfway place. Let them find their own way into the human world. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob, trying desperately to open it. His mind was on one thing and one thing only - getting to his Jenny, his angel and getting there before midnight. He cursed as the doorknob refused to turn, refused to budge. Why couldn't he get in? What was wrong? As his mind raced it suddenly hit him, the damned spell. He traced a few runes in the air and the door opened. He bolted in and raced to the other door, the door that would lead him to Jenny.   
  
He raced down the streets. It was black as pitch, the streets dimly lit by the street lamps. Around one corner, down another street, turn left, go for a few blocks, turn right, two more turns and he'd be there. What time was it? Was he too late? He couldn't be too late, he mustn't be too late, he just had to make it to her. He would make it... he just had to. There! There was her house. There was one light shining. She was still awake, that had to be a good sign, right? He didn't slow down until he was racing up to her door, which he nearly ran into. He knocked frantically, wishing that he had a watch with him. Had he made it? Was he on time? Or had he somehow managed to let his angel down? 


	5. Shadows and Light

(Sorry that this chapter is so short... but the muses have ideas and this needed to be out of the way for them to do what they wanted to do... so the next one will be much longer, I promise - and so do my muses!)  
  
As Jenny watched the clock her heart kept falling and falling. It was getting so late... And there was still no sign of Julian. She sat in the living room on the couch staring at a blank television screen. She had turned the t.v. off hours ago, but still she sat there staring and staring at the screen. But she wasn't even seeing the t.v. She was wishing and praying that Julian would make it back to her. She could feel the hours slipping away from them. And as they slipped away her spirits sunk further and further into the abyss of depression.  
  
It was 11:55pm when she first heard the knocking. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if it was real, so she waited. When the knocking only grew more insistant by 11:57, she slowly rose off of the couch and made her way to the door. Her heart was in her throat as she turned the knob... 11:58... She nearly fainted when she saw that it was Julian at the door.... 11:59.  
  
"Is it really you, or am I dreaming?" She asked, her heart thundering in her chest.  
  
"Yes, yes it is... Sorry I'm so late. I came as quickly as I could."  
  
"You made it. With 5 minutes to spare. Sorry it took me so long to answer the door, at first I thought that I was dreaming. I had to be sure that there was really someone knocking before I moved. I just couldn't bear it if I had gotten up and no one was there." Jenny sighed. 12 am...  
  
"I'm just glad that you were here. I'm just glad that I finally made it. And I'm glad that I didn't break my promise to you. I'm so sorry that I couldn't have been here any sooner. I tried. I tried so hard, I ran and I ran, I even shadow stepped... But the destination seemed to get further and further from me instead of closer. But I made it. I'm here." He drew Jenny to him in a bear hug. He picked her up and carried her back into the house, shutting the door behind them. She kissed him passionately, desperately. She needed him, she wanted him. After five years of waiting, her feelings for him had only grown. The passion burned hotter, brighter than it ever had before.  
  
"I love you Julian. Gods how I've missed you." She said as she drew him closer and kissed him over and over again. Small, desperate little kisses that made Julian smile. The light in the room went out, and candles began to light themselves as the strange couple began to twine themselves 'round one another. Julian took control of the situation, of the kisses... He slowed down the pace, and yet the frenzy would not calm itself. Slow, soul burning kisses, long tumultuous passionate caresses... Clothes seeming to melt away, bodies getting closer and closer.  
  
"Are you sure Jenny? We can stop if you aren't."  
  
"I have never been more sure of anything in my life Julian...Never more sure." Jenny said between kisses. The last bits of clothing seemed to dissolve and Jenny could feel Julian's want of her, need for her... desire for her. It made her burn for him even more. The lust, the desire, the all consuming fires of passion were growing and growing within her. For five years she had dreamt of this moment. For five years she had hungered for it, needed it, wanted it... wanted him so badly her entire body ached with the wanting.  
  
Soon they were coupled, joined in the most intimate of embraces, dancing the most ancient of dances. Their souls were rejoicing, they were finally reunited after so long... They were once more and finally whole. Jenny and Julian continued to lose themselves more and more with and within each other well into the deepest depths of darkness. Racing faster and faster towards the furthest reaches on the plains of pleasure until they both thought that they might go mad from wanting... Only to kareen over the edges of bliss back down into one another.  
  
They went on like this for hours that seemed like days. Until they both collapsed onto the bed in Jenny's room, totally exhausted. They continued their pursuit of pleasure in their dreams as well. Their dream worlds intertwining as their bodies stayed joined in reality. It was as if their passions had lives all their own. They were completely consumed by one another, by passion and by desire. Nothing existed outside of them and their love for one another, their desire, their passion... their lust for each other.  
  
Somewhere else... a shadow slipped from what appeared to be a graffiti door on the wall of a building, and slithered along in the darkness... all that could be heard was a soft, persistent hissing sound......... 


End file.
